Effectiveness of short message services reminders on a childhood immunization programme in Kadoma, Zimbabwe

ISRCTN	ISRCTN70918594
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN70918594
Secondary identifying numbers	MRCZ/B/492

Submission date: 16/07/2014
Registration date: 28/08/2014
Last edited: 22/10/2015

Recruitment status: No longer recruiting
Overall study status: Completed
Condition category: Other

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (Whooping Cough) are life-threatening diseases for people of all age groups. Despite this, worldwide, healthcare providers are finding that many people fail to keep their immunization appointments. In Kadoma City, Zimbabwe, a recent review found that only 74% of babies aged 6 weeks, 84% of babies aged 10 weeks and 74% of babies aged 14 weeks were being vaccinated against these diseases. Low vaccination rates can often result in outbreaks of the diseases that the vaccines are meant to prevent and could mean that the progress made towards achieving Millennium Development Goal 4 (MDG 4) (reducing the number of deaths among children under 5 years old by two-thirds) is reversed. It is, therefore, very important to try and encourage more people to vaccinate themselves and their families. This study will find out if using short message services (SMS), otherwise known as text messages, will encourage mothers to bring in their babies for immunization. We are also interested in knowing how much it costs and how many people are willing to be reminded in this way.

Who can participate?
Mothers or caregivers of babies that visit one of a number of Kadoma City Clinics on the third or seventh day after the birth of the child. They also have to have a cell phone.

What does the study involve?
Participants are randomly allocated into one of two groups. For those people in group 1 (intervention group), short message service reminders are sent to each person's cellphone to remind them to bring their children in for their vaccinations at 6, 10 and 14 weeks after birth. The first reminder is sent 7 days before the due immunization date. The second reminder is sent 3 days before and the third, final reminder, is sent a day before the immunization appointment. They are also given routine immunization health education materials. People in group 2 (control group) are only given the routine immunization health education materials. The vaccination rate is then analysed.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
There are no any financial or other material benefits for participants in this study. However, taking part may give them an opportunity to learn and understand more about childhood immunization. The study is not expected to cause any physical harm. Some questions are asked about the participants social life which they may not feel comfortable enough about to answer, but they are free to ignore these questions if they wish.

Where is the study run from?
Kadoma City Clinics namely Rimuka Family Child Health, Ngezi, Waverly, Chemukute and Kadoma General Hospital (Zimbabwe).

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
January 2013 to August 2013.

Who is funding the study?
MPH Programme, University of Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe).

Who is the main contact?
Bangure Donewell
bangured@yahoo.com

Contact information

Prof Mufuta Tshimanga
Scientific

University of Zimbabwe
P.O Box A167
Avondale
Harare
00263
Zimbabwe

Phone	+263 (0) 775762259
Email	tshimangamufuta@gmail.com

Study information

Study design	Randomized controlled trial
Primary study design	Interventional
Secondary study design	Randomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)	Other
Study type	Prevention
Participant information sheet	N/A
Scientific title	Effectiveness of short message services reminders on a childhood immunization programme in Kadoma, Zimbabwe - a randomized controlled trial, 2013
Study objectives	There is no difference on the immunization coverage among those receiving short message reminders and routine immunization health education material and those receiving routine immunization health education material only
Ethics approval(s)	1. Joint Parirenyatwa Hospital and College of Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee, 23/04/2013, ref: JREC 31/13 2. The Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe, 06/05/2013, ref: MRCZ/B/492
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Immunization
Intervention	Participants were randomly allocated into two groups. 1. Intervention group: In the intervention group short message service reminders were sent to study participants cellphones reminding them to bring children for immunization. They also recieved routine immunization health education materials 2. Control group: Received only the routine immunization health education materials
Intervention type	Other
Primary outcome measure	The primary outcome measure was receipt of scheduled vaccines at 6, 10 and 14 weeks. This was measured by the attendance for each antigen during the three visits at 6, 10 and 14 weeks.
Secondary outcome measures	N/A
Overall study start date	01/01/2013
Completion date	31/08/2013

Eligibility

Participant type(s)	Patient
Age group	Adult
Sex	Female
Target number of participants	306
Key inclusion criteria	1. Women or caregiver with a cell phone 2. A resident of Kadoma city 3. Consented in writing
Key exclusion criteria	1. Mothers or caregivers that did not own a cell phone 2. Not a resident of Kadoma city
Date of first enrolment	01/01/2013
Date of final enrolment	31/08/2013

Locations

Countries of recruitment

Zimbabwe

Study participating centre

University of Zimbabwe

Harare
00263
Zimbabwe

Sponsor information

University of Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe)
University/education

P.O Box A167
Avondale
Harare
00263
Zimbabwe

Phone	+263 (0) 4792157
Email	tshimangamufuta@gmail.com
"ROR"	https://ror.org/04ze6rb18

Funders

Funder type

University/education

University of Zimbabwe, Department of Community Medicine (Zimbabwe)

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	No
IPD sharing plan summary	Not provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination plan	Not provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Study outputs

Output type	Details	Date created	Date added	Peer reviewed?	Patient-facing?
Results article	results	12/02/2015		Yes	No